McConnellsburg Teen Pleads, Sentenced

By Chanin Rotz-Mountz STAFF WRITER

A 17-year-old McConnellsburg boy was paroled effective Tuesday on prior infractions in both Fulton and Franklin counties in order to be directly remanded to a state correctional institution on unrelated charges.

Ryan O’Neal Jefferson of 640 East Maple Street was granted a 90-day time served sentence for felony trespassing. In addition to being granted time served, Jefferson was ordered by Fulton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard Walsh to pay the male victim $1,200 in restitution. The restitution will be jointly shared by Jefferson and his accomplices, Walsh noted.

In looking at a second case that reportedly occurred on August 27 at the Franklin County Prison, Jefferson underwent mandatory arraignment on December 21 in regard to one count of contraband and three counts of violating the controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act. Represented by defense attorney Royce Morris, Jefferson entered a guilty plea to one count of contraband.

Jefferson admitted to Judge Walsh he took crack cocaine into the prison after having been picked up on a bench warrant. The cocaine was individually packaged, said Jefferson, who added he knew the drug was a controlled substance and that he shouldn’t have taken it to the jail.

Charging documents indicate Jefferson was searched by Pennsylvania State Police and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office prior to his transport to the prison. No weapons, drugs or contraband were located during the searches. A follow-up strip search performed at the jail netted a clear baggie inside Jefferson’s pants. The baggie, the state police affidavit states, contained 13 individual baggies of suspected crack cocaine.

Also on Tuesday, Jefferson pleaded guilty to a third incident involving harassment, which dates back to July 8. Under questioning by Judge Walsh, Jefferson admitted he made a handgun-type gesture at a female victim.

Walsh followed up on Jefferson’s admission by paroling him immediately for the local trespassing charge as well as a 2006 criminal conspiracy-to-commit robbery charge in neighboring Franklin County. As a result, Jefferson will be taken to the Pine Grove state correctional institution (SCI) where he will complete between two and four years for contraband. He was recommended by the court to participate in the Youth Offender Program at the SCI.

In addition, Jefferson will complete one-year probation sentence for harassment, which will run concurrently with his incarceration.

Fines and costs levied by Judge Walsh include $300 in fines, $100 to the Fulton County Law Library and a $25 monthly supervision fee. Jefferson will undergo DNA testing and drug and alcohol treatment and is prohibited from possessing or transferring a firearm.